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Baseball is often a game of controlled failure. Failing 7 out of 10 times can be considered a success. Unfortunately, this isn’t the same in our relationships.
In a large local tournament, one of our top players chose to play with a stronger team—a choice he was allowed to make. I was glad for him because he made a decision and stuck with it. Some families were offended because they felt we could win the tournament if we had him with us.
“That’s never been done here before.” “We’ve never been to the state playoffs.” “We’ve never beaten them before.” How many times have athletes looked at past seasons as the standard for the current season? The past can be a great thing when kept in perspective.
Into the first 10 years of my pro golf career, my spiritual life could be described as “just going through the motions.” I went to church growing up and knew all the right things to say, but I didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. That all changed in 1985.
Emotions are never in short supply during open-mic time. Although not many people knew this particular couple's past when the man grabbed the microphone, during the brief minutes that followed, they became part of a story they would never forget.
With tears in his eyes and a quiver in his voice, the man explained to the crowd at the 2007 FCA Couples Getaway at The Cove that he and the woman next to him didn't really know how they got there.
Louis Garza moved into our neighborhood when he was in the sixth grade. He was big, strong, fast, . . . and humble. He was easily the best athlete in our whole group, and we had a lot of really good athletes. But Louis was different; he willingly did anything for the good of the team.
It’s always tough trying to fit into a new group, but Louis slipped into ours easily. He didn’t demand anything. As a matter of fact, Louis was so humble that he always tried to get his weaker teammates to experience the more glamorous positions. He wanted others to feel special and succeed.
As Thanksgiving comes around, I am getting so ready to go home and be with family. I am excited for turkey, football, and, of course, sleeping. But with all these activities I tend to rely on them to refuel me over the school break. I find myself thinking that if I can just get through this week then I will have rest and fun with my family.
When I step back, I realize that I have started trusting in my activities to get me through this grueling week rather than relying on the Lord. I am trusting in my family, food, football and fellowship more than I am trusting in God. But God is a jealous God and wants our full attention and for us to completely trust in Him—to understand that He alone can bring meaning to our life.
For many families, FCA is more than a summer activity or a school-year ministry; it’s a vehicle of spiritual transformation that draws each member closer to the Lord through sports. As the ministry ages, more and more stories are surfacing regarding how FCA has become a way of life for many families, even impacting multiple generations.
What athlete does not want to be in a Hall of Fame? What little kid playing T-ball doesn’t dream of hitting the winning home run in the World Series? What sixth grader playing touch football at recess doesn’t dream of playing in the Super Bowl? It is in our nature to be driven competitors.
Our society has special places of honor for those who are above average. Whether it is dreaming of being inducted in Canton, Ohio, as a gridiron great or making it to Cooperstown, New York, as a hero of the diamond, everybody wants to be the best. The thing some athletes don’t realize is that they are already in God’s Hall of Fame.
As a coach in a low-income school, I see my players go through very difficult times. Many have no father at home, and they endure a mediocre educational system in a drug-infested neighborhood. These kids have to work twice as hard just to break even. It is hard not to internalize the problems of our players. Because the environment in which they live provides little or no hope, we find ourselves wanting to step in to solve their problems. However, we typically find ourselves feeling helpless. From time to time coaches find themselves serving as father, mother, lawyer, mediator, and mentor to their players, surrogate roles that press down with lots of pressure and responsibility.
Wildfires aren’t typically associated with Hawaii, but that may be about to change—just don’t expect to see actual flames consuming the palm trees and pineapples. This fire is spiritual, and it’s one that is being used by God to spread His Word across the islands, specifically through FCA and the student-athletes at the University of Hawaii.
Everyone wants to be a winner, whether it’s in sports or life in general. Cindy Todd, a world waterskiing champion, spoke about winning. She said, “When I first read Philippians 3:14, which tells us to ‘pursue…the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus,’ I was reminded of a waterskiing competition. Everyone aims toward a prize. We all want it, but only one person gets to win. God has given me a talent for waterskiing, but thanks to Him, I’m a winner in another way. I have been cleansed of sin through the blood of Jesus. I have received salvation by God’s grace. This is the most important victory in my life, and it’s a victory we all can have. ‘…Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Ac 2:21).
In the movie Invincible, the story of Philadelphia Eagles fan-turned-NFL-pro Vince Papale plays out on the big screen. After losing his job and wife, he was told he would never amount to anything, that he wouldn’t make any money, and wasn’t going anywhere.
Some of us have experienced a coach saying, “You’re not talented enough. You won’t make it.” Possibly a coworker, spouse, friend, or parent has caused doubt.
He had to make a choice. After the big win, all of his teammates were going out partying and drinking. How would he choose? Sound familiar? What about Noah?
“Lord, You want me to do what? Build what? An ark? And all those animals will listen to me? Right . . .” Noah had to make a choice. Build a big boat and obey, or don’t and tread water for a long time. He counted the cost and made the right decision. Noah did not choose what the crowd or his friends wanted him to do, but was loyal and obedient to God. We can be encouraged by Noah to take a stand and not be afraid to do something against the grain. The words “everyone is doing it” must not keep us from obeying God!
Many athletes, myself included, keep a journal or log of their workouts. This allows us to set goals and track our times, distances, results, resting heart rate, etc. From this journal, we can see how we’re progressing (or not) and adjust accordingly. It is a valuable tool for training, race preparation, or other goals we’re trying to achieve.
As the second-year head football coach at Clemson University, Dabo Swinney is hoping to lead the Tigers to their first ACC Championship in 19 years. After accepting Christ through FCA in high school, the Alabama native (with one of the most memorable names in college football) is focused not only on making a positive impact on the school’s record books, but also on the lives of his players and staff.
1 – Today’s competition will require a tremendous amount of leadership for us to be victorious. It will require a unique type of leadership.
2 – This kind of leadership is best described in Mark 10:42-45 (read the text aloud).
As a high school basketball coach, I often notice that my players are influenced by the past. After a winning streak, they can begin to believe that they are better than they actually are. Such overconfidence often leads to deflating defeats. Of course, the same deflation typically occurs after a losing streak because the team loses confidence.
In order to avoid either extreme—overconfidence or none at all—many coaches encourage the team members to stay focused. In our program, we remind our players to focus on what lies ahead rather than on the past. After each game, we say, “The season starts tomorrow.” This helps us remember all we can achieve as a team.
Our family plays a game at the dinner table called “Would you rather . . .?” When we ask this question our children have to answer with such questions as, “Would you rather win a World Series or a Super Bowl?” One night, I asked my three kids: “Would you rather be a great leader or a great servant?” I barely had time to finish before my ten-year-old said, “Dad, they’re the same thing. If you serve someone, you’re showing and teaching someone what Jesus would do!” After overcoming my astonishment at the maturity of one so young, I realized how right she was. She already understood that a great servant is always a great leader, but a leader is not necessarily a servant.
University of Oklahoma Women's Basketball Coach Sherri Coale tells how being a part of her team is bigger than just the player's role on the court.
Two summers ago I was working at a regular Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) residence camp at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss. It was the first day, and I was excited to be there. Everyone was getting to know each other, and we were all preparing for what the week would hold.
Florida State University sophomore Caroline Smith made an immediate splash with the Seminole swimming team when, as a freshman, she set the school record in the 500-yard freestyle. Even more impressive was the fact that she did so while turning in a stellar classroom performance, earning ACC Honor Roll honors and a 4.0 GPA. Still, as member of FSU’s FCA leadership team, Smith knows the records and honors are blessings from the Lord, whom she joyfully worships both in and out of the pool.
I had just witnessed one of the most exciting and gut-wrenching football games of my life. The home team fought its way back from a ten-point deficit in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and sent the game into overtime. However, an interception destroyed the home team’s effort to win. For what seemed like an eternity, the stands were quiet; no one was quite sure how to respond, but as the team began to leave the field, the fans stood, clapped, and cheered. The home team had lost the game but had captured the hearts of the fans.
Success in Football
• Name the two most important things in order to succeed in football as a player or team. (Impossible to answer, use as icebreaker with team….
• What are do you as a team want to succeed in this year? I will use this time for captains to cover major goals –
o (7 shutouts, no region losses, region champions, state playoffs etc.. Should be specific for your team..)
• As team I remind them of the quote “if you don’t know where you are going you will likely end up somewhere else – (John Maxwell)
Vince Lombardi – The only place success comes before hard work is in the dictionary
To persevere means to persist in an undertaking in spite of opposition or discouragement. The 2007 Boston Marathon was run under adverse weather conditions. The temperature was in the low 40's, and the wind blew at 30 miles per hour blowing gusts that reached up to 50. To run in those conditions takes more than training, more than carbo-loading, more than simply desiring to finish the race. That day, it took a will to persist in spite of opposition and extreme discouragement.
Hebrews 12:1 gives a command to develop perseverance. Satan is a formidable enemy. To overcome him takes more than training, more than doing the right thing, more than desiring to be good. To defeat our spiritual enemy takes perseverance. How do you develop perseverance?
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